Francella more disciplined after down year

Meaghan Francella gets in a last practice session with swing instructor Gale Peterson at LPGA International before the start of Q-School.
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Tracy Wilcox
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By Beth Ann Nichols

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – After a casual round of golf on Black Friday, Beth Daniel told Meaghan Francella that the ball now makes a different sound coming off her clubface. She’s hitting the sweet spot more, and Daniel’s words of affirmation must have been music to Francella’s ears.

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Photos: 2012 LPGA Q-School, practice round

This years LPGA Qschool has a couple LPGA tour veterans fighting for their cards this year, Christina Kim and Laura Diaz. View images from Tuesday's practice round.

“I’m just so impressed with what I see right now,” said Daniel of her young protege.

This has been a reality-check year for Francella, a tour winner who finds herself back at LPGA Qualifying School after a heartbreaking season. She hit rock bottom in September after a whirlwind trip to England to try qualifying for the Ricoh Women’s British Open. When Francella got back home, she had trouble sleeping. She went to the doctor and was faced with a scale. The 30-year-old immediately got serious about her diet, cutting out alcohol and soda and eating smart. At the urging of good friend Stacy Lewis, Francella began going to Lewis’ trainer and lost 12 pounds in six weeks. She now goes to bed at 9:30 p.m.

It took a village to get Francella, one of four LPGA winners back at Q-School, in the right frame of mind this week. Gale Peterson, a longtime instructor out of Sea Island, helped Francella overhaul the basics of her golf swing. At the end of every phone conversation, Peterson would tell Francella how proud she was of her student’s progress and commitment. Those words meant a great deal to the New Yorker, who is carrying herself with renewed confidence and an easy smile here at LPGA International.

Last summer, Francella had dinner with her mother Denise and good friend Karrie Webb. It was at that dinner that Webb started preaching “tough love” to Denise, a school teacher who prays and lights candles every day for her daughter. It has been a stressful year for Denise as well, who hurts every time Meaghan hurts.

Eventually, Francella began to realize that feeling sorry for herself wasn’t getting her anywhere. She also realized she wasn’t working hard enough.

With Peterson’s guidance, Francella began making major swing changes. Throughout the year, she’d call Daniel or Meg Mallon with a similar refrain: I can do it on the range, but not under pressure.

“That’s basically the definition of a swing change,” said Daniel.

Like many things in life, Francella had to fall farther back before she could move forward. It was a painful process.

Francella still gets nervous every time she tees it up with Webb, even though she counts her as a close friend. The same goes for Daniel and Mallon. There’s a tremendous around of respect there, not to mention gratitude.

“I call them for everything,” Francella said.

This week, Francella has Lewis’ caddie, Travis Wilson, on the bag. Paula Creamer drove up to Daytona from Orlando, Fla., to have dinner on Monday night and has helped plan her wardrobe for the week. Francella will wear pink on Friday when Creamer comes back to watch.

“I told Beth I’m going to call her every day this week,” said Francella with a laugh.

The mentoring that goes on in golf is a testament to the game’s character. As a young player, Daniel often called JoAnne Carner or Louise Suggs for advice. She always wanted to talk to someone who had been there before.

Earlier this year, Daniel told Francella something she had learned long ago. There is no secret to success; it’s all about hard work.

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Cheyenne Woods showed the kind of resolve it takes to survive LPGA Q-School; One day after posting a head-scratching 79, Woods came to the more forgiving Jones Course at LPGA International and notched seven birdies.

Cheyenne Woods bounces back at LPGA Q-School

Cheyenne Woods bounced back in the third round of LPGA Q-School's final stage with a 67.
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Mark Sims / LPGA Tour
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Stacy Lewis swept LPGA postseason honors, winning Rolex Player of the Year, the Vare Trophy and the money title, but she had to share the spotlight with Lydia Ko, who won the CME Group Tour Championship and the CME Race to the Globe bonus check Sunday in Naples, Fla.

Julieta Granada won the first $1 million payout in LPGA history as a rookie in 2006 at the ADT Championship. Funny how Granada has found her way back to the top now that a $1 million prize has returned to the tour.

Granada leads LPGA finale, drama heightens

Julieta Granada, who hasn't won on the LPGA tour since 2006, leads the CME Group Tour Championship by a single shot entering the final round.
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Associated Press
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It didn’t take long for Stacy Lewis to start crunching numbers. Moments after she wrapped her post-round interview, Lewis headed to the back of the room to look at a closer breakdown of Race to the Globe scenarios.

For Lewis, LPGA finale all about scenarios

After finishing the third round of the CME Group Tour Championship, Stacy Lewis spent time considering the scenarios that could play out in the final round.
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Associated Press
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No one can cause a stir on the red carpet like Michelle Wie. And when she follows an evening of glamor with a smooth 67 to vault up the leaderboard at the CME Group Tour Championship, well, it’s doubly fantastic for the LPGA.

Red-carpet star Wie climbs leaderboard in Naples

Michelle Wie during the Rolex Awards Banquet in Naples. Through 36 holes of the CME Group Tour Championship, Wie is two shots off the lead.
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Photo Courtesy of LPGA/Gabriel Roux
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